Chin-rest for the dead



D A .3 ND E NE T R 0 M E .R N I H 0 (No Model.)

o. 506,886. Patented 001;. 17,1893.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES W. SEXTON, OF LEAVENWORTH, KANSAS.

CHIN-REST FOR THE DEAD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 506,886, dated October17, 1893.

Application filed January 25, 1893. Serial No. 4 17l6- (N m l-l To allwhom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMEs W. SEXTON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Leavenworth, in the county of Leavenworth and State ofKansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inChin-Supports for the Dead; and I do declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and totheletters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

My invention relates to a device for supporting the lower jaw and chinof a recently deceased person until the parts become rigid and will keeptheir natural position without the aid of artificial means.

It has for its object to simplify and cheapen the construction of such adevice, and to provide a device of the character named which can be usedfor infants or persons of all ages and which can be readily applied andremoved.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and such other objects as mayhereinafter appear, the invention consists in the construction and thecombination of parts hereinafter particularly described and thenclaimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a parthereof.

Figure 1 is a perspective of the chin adjuster; Fig. 2 a plan view ofthe same; Fig. 3 a side view of the corpse showing the chin adjusterapplied; and Fig.4 a side view on an enlarged scale of a part of acorpse showlng the engagement of the lower end of the adjuster with thesternum bone and the other end with the chin.

The device consists of an elastic strip A, preferably of lightspring'steel, provided at one end with a cup or concave plate Bpreferably formed with the two side extensions 0 and the intermediateextension D adapted to fit under the'chin as illustrated. The lowerportion of the strip is preferably, although not necessarily, made witha slight upward curvature toward that end, the better to secure thedevice in position when in use. It

is applied by placing the cup under the chin and the lower end of thestrip against the sternum bone where the two clavicles meet,

the elasticity of the strip allowing it to bend in a loop form betweenthe chin and the sternum bone as illustrated. The length of this loopwill depend somewhat on the age of the person to whom it is applied, thelength of the loop being different in the case of an infant than in thecase of an adult. It will thus be observed that the device is adjustableto suit the conditions required to be met in its use. When the strip isthus bent it is caused to exert a continuous elastic pressure againstthe chin so that the lower jaw and chin will be held to their naturalposition by the elastic pressure and the mouth likewise kept closed witha natural expression and without disfigurement of any part of the heador face and without distorting any of the features.

The device besides possessing the several advantages set forth has thefurther advantage of occupying but a very small space in the case forthe undertakers implements. Furthermore, it causes the pressure to be applied for the best results and is self adjusting after being onceapplied andnot liable to become displaced.

I have illustrated and described what I consider to be the best form ofthe device and the best material of which to make the same but I do notconfine myself to such details of form or material as both may be verygreatly varied without departing from the essentials of the device.

Having described my invention and set forth its merits, what I claimis- 1. A chin rest for the dead, composed of a strip of elastic materialhaving one end adapted to bear against the sternum bone and the otherend formed to fit under the chin to exert an elastic pressure from thesternum bone to the chin, substantially as and for the purposesdescribed.

2. A chin rest for the dead, composed of an elastic strip having a cupformed at one end to fit under the chin and the other end curved at anangle to the length of the strip, substantially as and for the purposesdescribed.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES W. SEXTON.

Witnesses:

C. E. SEXTON, O. CHACEY.

